Lună: Martie 2008

„The young, at an age when they have not yet any experience other than sexual, when they do not yet have years of personal suffering and personal understanding behind them, are jubilantly repeating our depraved Russian blunders of the Nineteenth Century, under the impression that they are discovering something new. They acclaim the latest wretched degradation on the part of the Chinese Red Guards as a joyous example. In shallow lack of understanding of the age-old essence of mankind, in the naive confidence of inexperienced hearts they cry: let us drive away THOSE cruel, greedy oppressors, governments, and the new ones (we!), having laid aside grenades and rifles, will be just and understanding. Far from it! . . . But of those who have lived more and understand, those who could oppose these young – many do not dare oppose, they even suck up, anything not to appear „conservative”. Another Russian phenomenon of the Nineteenth Century which Dostoevsky called SLAVERY TO PROGRESSIVE QUIRKS.”

Fate in its irony has made the black butterfly of identical moustache settle on the upper lip of two completely different men. One of them is an invention, a mask. The other is real flesh and blood. The former is one of the most popular men on the globe. The latter is positively the most hated. „He stole my moustache!“ Charlie clamoured merrily in newspapers, accusing Hitler of plagiarism. „It was I who invented it!“ (asta imi aminteste de „L’ho inventato io!“- de unde-i asta, Luc?) Hitler seemed nothing more than a comedian, a buffoon, and Chaplin’s accusations that he had stolen his make-up made Hitler look like a clown. But as the years went on it became clear that Hitler was something more than a comedian, buffoon, or clown; he proved to be a homicidal maniac. And Chaplin made his Dictator.

Eisenstein on Chaplin’s film, The Dictator, in Notes of a film director

„A group of charming Chinese children are laughing gaily. The group is presented in „different shots“. Close-up. Medium shot. Again close-up. What are they laughing at?Perhaps at what is taking place deep in the room.What is it they see?A man (probably drunk) lies sprawling on the bed. A small Chinese woman furiously slaps his face. The children roar with laughter. Although the man is their own father. And the little woman their mother. And the big man is not drunk. And the little woman is not slapping her husband because he is drunk. The man is dead.She is beating the dead man for dying and deserting her and the little children who are now laughing merrily but who will have nothing to eat. This is not from a Chaplin film. This is a passage form La condition humaine by Andre Malraux. Whenever I think of Chaplin I always see him as a little Chinese boy laughing merrily at the sight of the grotesquely wobbling head of the big man as the little woman slaps him.“